Mrs. Met
April 14, 2001Why is this guy on the team! Could not believe he swung at the first pitch, popped up with runner on third with one out....definatly lost this game tonight.

kinerskorner
April 18, 2001i agree. what is relaford doing on the team. he had to be one of the worst everyday players in the bigs when he was on the phillies. his only value is his ability to run, and he got picked off first base tonight. grr. I suggest trading him to get back bill pulsipher for the 8th time.

Mr. Sparkle
May 17, 2001Nice inning on the mound! Can he start instead of Tracshel the next time around? I'm 100% serious!

kinerskorner
May 17, 2001has gained my admiration with his inning pitched. by far has better stuff and control of his pitches than steve trachsel.

Coach HoJo 20
May 18, 2001Kudos to Desi!!!! Your work on the mound is 10 times better than TRASHsel's, Now all you have to do if bury Steve alive and the starting job is yours!!

murphy
May 25, 2001The saddest part about Desi's pitching performance was that he was the only Mets pitcher in that game that could even come close to spotting his fastball. He actually threw a 91 mph knee-high fastball on the outside corner to Bubba Trammell. Trammell couldn't believe it. If Trachsel had that kind of stuff, he would not be down in Norfolk.

Mr. Sparkle
July 15, 2001I like this guy coming off the bench. When they signed Kurt Abbott last year I thought it was a great move considering his experience with the 97 Marlins. I thought getting Relaford was a mistake. Just goes to show what I know. He's a decent guy to have around.

Won Doney
September 30, 2001All of you people who said bad things about Desi early on in the season might want to take those things back. No one else on the team is hitting .300.

William Nodoze
October 14, 2001If I were running the team, I'd start Desi at shortstop and let him play his way out of the lineup. He is a lot better hitter than Ray Ordonuts. Glove is pretty good too.

Mr. Sparkle
December 16, 2001This guy turned out to be much better than I ever thought he would be. Coming form the Phillies who thought he would contribute? But he was very solid and a great bench player and spot starter. I really can't see him as an everyday player, at least not one of impact. Anyway, I'm sorry to see him go, more so that Shinjo, but to stregnthen your pitching it's worth it. I'll remember him wearing that EMS hat after 9-11.

Pete Caldera as DB
June 9, 2002When we got this guy I was happy. I thought he'd be a good spot starter. Then after the first week of the season he didn't have any hits. This pissed me off. Then one day he got the start at short and went 4-4 with a home run. Before I knew it he was hitting .300. What a guy to claim off of waivers. Sorry to see him go.

Gregory Gewirtz
April 1, 2003I wish the Mets would make these sorts of transactions more often. Instead of leaning on an aging has been or never was, they let a young talented player develop on the major league roster.

They claimed Relaford off waivers from San Diego at a time when Relaford was only a couple of years removed from being a decent shortstop prospect with the Phillies. He had all the tools, but hadn't put himself together as a starter. So the Mets let him compete to be a utility man, and he showed he could play short, second, and third. His speed added to his game, and his bat blossomed in New York. After the 2001 season, sensing his value was at a high point, the Mets packaged him with Tsuyoshi Shinjo for Shawn Estes.

After Relaford pitched his inning at Shea against the Padres, Valentine said he would consider bringing in Relaford to pitch at other times to face a couple of batters, possibly even if the Mets had a lead. He said something to the effect of "You'll be surprised how we use him," and supposedly the Mets had pitching coach Charlie Hough work on his mechanics a bit in a bullpen session to make sure he wouldn't hurt his arm the next time he pitched. Of course, he never got into another game on the mound with the Mets.

Kay Zone
May 9, 2005Desi's one of my favorite Mets ever! My fondest memory of him was during a game against San Diego in 2001. Total blowout. He'd been playing the infield, but moved to the mound to pitch the 9th inning. And a perfect inning pitched it was! His fastball clocked in at 91 mph! Needless to say, the Mets lost the game 15-3. Bobby Valentine said, "It certainly could have been a lot worse if Desi didn't have the good stuff he had."

5280Metsfan
August 27, 2005Great fielder. Saw him hit two homers in the same game against the Rockies at Coors field. My friend Eric who was at the game with me kept yelling, "Lucy you got a lot of explaining to do." whenever Desi stepped up to the plate.

BMW Metfan
November 28, 2014One of my favorite players!!

He could hit in a clutch, and I mean in a clutch!! Great defender and even pitched once!! Why was he traded? The team sure missed him when he was gone.